The Toyota Land Cruiser has become one of the few iconic and very sought-after Japaneses vehicle in the United States. There is a group of people out there ready to give up their organs for the right FJ40, and if they want this one, they might just have to.

Here is a pristine looking ’71 FJ40, which according to the seller has only 44,000 original miles. But the seller says that the low clean original was just a starting point for his “ultimate diesel FJ40″

Say you want to build the ultimate diesel FJ40. You start with a low mileage Arizona FJ40 with 44,000 original miles. Then you get out a fat checkbook.

It is powered by a New Crate Motor 4BT Cummins inter cooled Turbo diesel. It has less than 200 miles on it. It has a rebuilt NV4500 5 speed with granny low. Rebuilt transfer case. Complete Old Man Emu suspension, all new springs and shocks. Power steering, new front disc brakes. New Corbeau seats, new seat belts. New Tuffy locking center console. The paint is is very good condition. New professionally tinted windows. 4 new Goodyear Silent Armor tires.

Asking $58,888 New Price $48,888 DROPPED $10,000

But I want to sell it this month, so make me an offer.

So, a mint frame and body, clean and updated interior, a new crate engine and spruced-up driveline. It essentially is everything that a Land Cruiser connoisseur could want. I am no expert on the price of vehicle like this, I’ll admit that, so judge that for yourselves.

My question is, was it worth sacrificing a clean original FJ40 for this sort of retro-modded one? Which would you rather have, this or an all-original one in the same shape? Or, perhaps, you consider that these modifications do not take away from the originality?

These are too rare for this treatment. It's nice, but if it was in such good condition originally or able to be restored so well, why not keep the driveline in place? I feel like this could have been a six figure car with a restoration to factory, and since it seems the builder did it just to flip it, why undercut your earnings with a sway like this? I just don't understand really.

dukeisduke

"My question is, was it worth sacrificing a clean original FJ40 for this sort of retro-modded one?"

Not only no, but hell no!

okierover

I saw a completely restored early 70's FJ40 at a dealership a couple of years ago. Every bolt off restoration. It looked brand new. They were entertaining offers around 90,000$(US). I didn't think it was worth that, but what ever floats your boat. A completely restored 1993 Land Rover Defender 110 (NAS) will go for prices north of 90,000$(US). It's worth whatever someone will pay for it.

JonathanW

What????? So I somewhat undersold my '73 Series 3 SWB, fully restored when I sold it for $5k? (That was about 1996 or so)

BobWellington

That'd be a pretty cool daily driver. I agree, though, the tint has to go. I'll go ahead and say it – I don't like it when people tint their windows. Makes you look like a thug/drug dealer. I know someone who tinted his windows on his first car and had to drive with the windows open at night just to see. I realize that it may help keep the car cooler in the summer, but I go without it in Georgia without a problem so I don't think that is that great of a reason. Maybe I'm way off, but that's just how I feel. Now get off my lawn!

dukeisduke

Also, the tan on the outside, blue on the inside doesn't do it for me.

http://www.hooniverse.com Mad_Science

FJs are still thick on the ground in California, so it hurts my brain a little bit hear people obsessing over rarity or originality, even more so when I see the price tag for a clean example with a bitchin' engine swap (BTW, the original I-6s on these are nothing special). To me, this is a high-teens, low 20s vehicle at best.

I think the price on this is crack pipe, for a start, I expect an "ultimate" build to include painting the interior as well as the exterior and cleaning the dirt out of the engine bay. It looks like a lot was spent on flashy shiny stuff, and I am left wondering what other possibly key details were overlooked. I also question the need for a Cummins diesel, the Toyota diesels installed in other markets seem like perfectly worthy engines which would have produced a more factory correct vehicle.
I have seen some grey import FJ45 diesels that are at or near this vehicle's apparent quality, cost less and can be built up as well or better.

spokenoise

I would want to know why this 'Ultimate Vehicle' is up for sale straight after (sort of) completion?

steve

For those complaining about the window tint, consider the truck's home – Sedona, Arizona. Beefy window tints are a nice thing to have 'round there.

http://twitter.com/#!/jjd241 jjd241

Sounds like it's more freeway friendly with these mods. A fair amount of coin, but if done well, should be a ton of fun!